


Lost Stars

by obviouslyelementary



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Child AU, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Multi, pre slash, twenty first century au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 22:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9927188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obviouslyelementary/pseuds/obviouslyelementary
Summary: Twenty first century AU where Jim, Leonard and Spock have the same wish: get away from their planet and find whoever is calling them from the stars, but unfortunately the technology has only been invented in Vulcan.Small drabble about their love for the universe and each other.





	1. Chapter 1

Jim could hear another fight downstairs. Without hesitation, he ran up to the ceiling, checking the small door in his room and sitting on the edge of the roof, staring up at the sky, checking the stars as he did almost every night.

His five years of age couldn’t yet understand, but his heart beat very fast every time those wide blue eyes touched the darkness of the night in the middle of that empty farm in Iowa. He had reached out for the universe since he was little, trying to touch it, feel it, even though it was impossible. 

He was too young to understand that only astronauts could get closer to the galaxy. He dreamed of a day when he would be there, alone, and someone would come down from that wide black sky and finally get him and take him away from Sam, from mom and specially from Frank.

Something inside his little heart screamed that he needed to leave Earth and explore, live, know. And while he didn’t know that his family didn’t even have money enough to leave the state, that he would never reach his dreams, his mother and brother let him believe that it was just a matter of time.

And for him, it was, and he shone as he watched the stars, the moon, the planets.

Life was out there for him, and one day he would reach it and feel... complete.

 

Another night awake, another night in doubt, another night wishing he could just leave. Spock was outside his house, sitting on a rock as he watched the sun go down in the horizon, his dark eyes waiting anxiously for the stars to appear, always an illogical doubt in his head that one day they wouldn’t come back and he would be truly alone.

He knew his parents were inside, watching, his father worried and his mother curious. His mother, an astronaut from a failed mission coming from a little planet called Earth, a planet that had barely invented the space bus. A planet that was being constantly visited by vulcans to establish contact, but always failing.

He wanted to see Earth. He wanted to know it. Feel the air, see the sun. He wanted to know more, to see more, to feel more, to live more. He watched the stars, knowing about the planets they had already discovered, the ones they hadn’t, and he wanted to be there, travelling, watching, studying and learning.

His place was up there, in the stars, in those strange planets, in the spaceships that left vulcan every day. He was not vulcan, he was not human, he was himself and that was all he knew and all he needed to know. 

He felt in pieces, and he wanted to find himself and the rest that was missing, and he was sure that they were out there, somewhere, waiting and searching. Curious and happy. They would accept him and complete him and he would never feel upset or angry again.

The sky was so clearly close, and yet he had to wait to touch it. His seven years of age weren’t enough for the responsibility. But soon... Soon, it would be.

He would prove himself the best and would explore everything with his pieces. They would be one.

 

Leonard hated the sky. He watched it everyday, afraid of a falling star or a meteorite or aliens. He didn’t trust that enormous uncharted mess, with bright points and a big round cheese that appeared and disappeared depending on the time of the month.

It didn’t matter if he was already twelve, there were some things he couldn’t simply trust. And yet...

Yet he walked out every day when the sun was setting and sat on the green grass in his parents farm in Georgia, watching as the majestic colors came and went, making the once light blue sky orange, pink and yellow before becoming dark and black, with several lights that shone nothing, and the huge moon that always called his attention.

He counted the stars, checked if they were in the right place, separated the white from the red and from the blue, checked for planets, all to make sure that aliens weren’t coming, just to make sure Earth was safe.

Or so he said to himself, because the size of the universe fascinated him. How big and infinite it was. How could something be infinite? How could something infinite not have people just as smart as them, or even more?

The thought of being alone in that immensity of nothing scared him more than the universe itself.

But as he stared further, watched and analyzed, he felt like there was something there, calling him, looking for him, watching him, almost in despair. And he wanted to reach it, to touch it, even if he didn’t know what it was.

He would be ready, one day, and he would get there quickly and find what was bothering him so much. But for the time being, he would rather just sit on his parents’ table and eat.

 

It would be hard, but they would find each other.

Somehow, they would find their lost stars.


	2. Coming Closer

Jim was fifteen when the first contact was stablished. 

There was a new race, an humanoid race, that was coming to Earth from their far away planet. What they wanted was unknown, why they were there was unknown, and yet Jim couldn't have felt any better when he heard the news that aliens had finally arrived his planet. 

They were there to take him away. To take him home. To where he knew he could be. Where he would feel safe and complete. 

It took him two weeks to make the plan up. He gathered money and food for the road, knowing he would have to get to New York if he wanted to have contact with aliens. 

So, two weeks later, he stole Frank's car one night and drove away from that shitty place, that farm that had only brought sadness to his life. He would be free, finally. And he would be free by befriending an alien. 

The thought made him giggle as the air hit his face. 

 

Spock couldn't show it, but he was beaming inside when his father told him that he could accompany him and his mother back to her planet, Earth. 

The contact had been stablished and while Spock wasn't old enough, he knew he was ready. As ready as he would be, at seventeen, or seventy. 

So, when his father and mother were ready, the three of them walked to the ship that would take them to the city of New York, one of the biggest centres in Earth. 

Spock watched Vulcan from the ship's window, wondering why he did not feel sorrow. Maybe because he knew he could always come back. 

Or maybe because he knew that he would find himself out of Vulcan, maybe in those new lands, maybe on Earth, where his mother came from. His second home. 

So as the ship took off, he watched, sitting comfortably on a chair, and holding back his wish to already be there. On Earth. 

 

How had he got himself in such a messed up situation?

Graduated as one of the top doctors in one of the best schools of the planet had sounded great. Wonderful. But now... Now he was assigned to New York, to check the... The...

Leonard was unable to even think about it. 

As soon as he had received the memo, he ran back to his flat and locked himself inside his room. 

Aliens. Aliens! They were coming and they were arriving in a month. A month! And NASA had only thought about contacting now?! 

He could feel the panic attack rising, as he curled up on his bed, alone, freaking out. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to make himself think that it would be okay. NASA said they were humanoids. They wouldn't try to eat them. 

Right?

Or destroy their planet. 

Right?

Leonard whined quietly to himself as he covered his body on a thick blanket. 

He hated being a doctor, he hated being one of the best, and he hated, hated space. 

He had a month to live, and then he would die for sure. If not from the aliens, from a heart attack. 

 

Through land, space and thought, they were coming closer. 

And it amazed, excited and scared, each one in their own way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, someone asked and I have them the continuation. I think there might be one more chapter left. It's short but sweet


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is suddenly becoming a fanfic. It's not good. Not good at all.

Three weeks. Three weeks since he had run away, three weeks since he had decided to choose that mess as his life, and he had never regretted it so much. 

The money Jim had brought had ended, and now he was living in a dark alley, running from the police, only fifteen and scared. He had always had everything he wanted, even though his house was a living hell, but now he had nothing and surely no way of seeing the skies, being free. 

His self pitying moments lasted no more than a few minutes, when he heard someone yelling at him. Cops. Again. He got up from the ground, quickly, and ran. He ran fast, straight to the dark streets of New York, joining the crowds and making his escape. 

But at a wrong turn, he saw himself in an empty street, and the cops hadn't yet lost him from sight, which resulted in a desperate fifteen year old running for his life and turning in the first street he saw. 

And that was when he found himself face to face with a chest. 

 

Leonard had been working double those last weeks. He was doing emergency in the hospital and researches in the labs. And NASA...

Oh he didn't want to think of it. 

They wet establishing communication ways that would be easy to comprehend by any aliens that might come. The medical team was also participating in the discussion because they had to know how to communicate. 

But the only thing he wanted to communicate was 'get off my planet you alien bastards'. So no one was pleased about any of those classes and reunions. 

In the end, it all meant one thing: he always came home tired, and the last thing he wanted was someone to stop him in the middle of his way. 

And that was exactly when a child hit his chest and fell down to the ground gracelessly. 

"Shit what the hell" Leonard asked, moving back at the impact and looking down at the blond mess in front of him. 

The boy was not looking good. He had bags under his very young eyes, a few cuts and bruises already healed, and he was very dirty. 

"I-I'm sorry sir" the boy gasped out, trying to stand just as the police came up to him and grabbed his arms. "No let me go!"

"There you are, you rat!" The officer said, pushing the blond boy to the wall. "We are very sorry sir, for interrupting your night. This will be over soon"

Leonard stared at that in both shock and surprise. He was mad at the kid, sure, but then again the kid was just a kid. And they were treating him like an animal. 

He couldn't let them do that. 

"Excuse me officer" he said, firmly, and they stopped, looking at him. "But why are you even arresting my nephew?"

"Nephew?" One of the policemen said, confused, and the one who was holding the kid to the wall tilted his head. 

"This kid is being accused of driving a stolen car" he said, but Leonard would have none of that. 

"Excuse me but I am in charge of him while here in New York and it was my mistake to let him wonder alone. I am sure he just saw a car with an open door and got inside out of curiosity, since his father doesn't let him test drive. Now if you will, I have many things to do tomorrow, and I bet you don't want to leave a NASA officer waiting" he said, coldly, and when the man chuckled, he grabbed his authorisation card. "Let go of him"

"S-sorry sir. It was probably our mistake" the man said, letting the boy go as he checked the authorisation, and bowing to him. "Have a great night. Come on"

Leonard watched the two cops walking away with a huff and then turned to the scared blond boy. 

"Are you alright?" He asked, worried, but the boy's eyes were shining. 

"You are from NASA" he whispered, and Leonard raised his eyebrow. "You are the one that will take me out of here"

Leonard should have let the boy be arrested. 

 

"James Tiberius Kirk. My friends call me Jim though" Jim said as he sat down on Leonard's table, smiling as he was served with a plate of steak and fries. "And you are Leonard. The NASA guy"

"Leonard McCoy" the man corrected. "And the fact that I work in NASA makes no difference. You will go home tomorrow" he said, and sat down with Jim. 

Jim got quiet, looking down at his plate as he started to eat in silence. Slowly, the mood got nice and the silence didn't bother him anymore. It was way better than the current screaming in his house. 

"I can't go home" he muttered, after he was done, and Leonard looked at him confusedly. 

"Why not? Unless you are homeless, there is no good excuse for me to keep you here" he said firmly, raising his eyebrow. Jim got quiet again before sighing. 

"I live in Iowa and my stepfather Frank is an asshole that hates me because I look like my father and will never let me follow my dream to follow my father's steps into NASA" he said, frowning deeply. "I can't go back tomorrow. I need to go to you see the aliens"

"God they announced it" Leonard groaned, rolling his eyes. "I c... Wait. Kirk you said? You are the son of George Kirk?" He asked, eyes wide, and Jim smiled, nodding and grabbing his ID in his pocket. 

"The second son" he said, content, and even though Leonard was clearly amused, he didn't seem to be convinced. 

"Well you are the son of a legend. Alright. But that doesn't mean I can take you to my office. And also doesn't mean I won't take you home" he said, firmly, and Jim only sighed, deciding not to argue. Not at the moment. 

He liked the man. And the man didn't seem to hate him either. He just needed time. 

 

"Mother?" Spock asked, walking closer to Amanda as the ship slowly made its way through space, heading to Earth. The woman was checking a few instruments when her father called, and she looked at him with a smile. 

"Yes, Spock?" She asked, taking his hand as he sat down next to her. He stopped, looking down for a while, before looking up again. 

"How is Earth like?" He asked, curious, and she giggled. 

"Well... It is filled with people. Nine billion people. It is bigger than Vulcan in volume but smaller in area, since seventy percent of it is water-"

"No. Mother. How are humans like? Are them all like you, driven by emotion? Are they openly affective?" He asked, eyes wide, curious. She giggles again and nodded. 

"Yes Spock. Most of them" she said, honestly, and he looked down at his hand. 

"Do you think they will like me? Us?" He asked, quietly, and Amanda smiled before caressing his cheek. 

"Spock. They will love you. Do not worry" she said, softly, smiling to her son. "Just be yourself. You will see how wonderful humans are"

A simple and short nod was all he got out, before he looked at the window of the ship again. 

He couldn't wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave KUDOS and comments if you enjoyed and see you soon


	4. Chapter 4

In the end, Jim convinced Leonard to keep him there until the day of the meeting. He wasn't allowed to go, at all, but at least he would watch it all in a decent TV and have a specialist talking to him about it. 

However, as Jim stayed, he realised that the man he was living with at the moment got more and more anxious as the day came. He seemed tired all the time, and Jim was simply curious to know why. Having such an awesome job should make people happy, not anxious. 

So, one day before the meeting, he popped it up. 

"Leonard?" He asked as he ate his dinner with the doctor. He looked up from his own plate, staring at him. "Are you nervous?"

"'Bout the meeting? Well sure." He said, shrugging. "What is there not to be nervous about?"

"Well... Everything? They said they are friendly" Jim said, slowly, but Leonard simply chuckled. 

"Friendly. We will see how friendly they are when they start eating our eyeballs" he said, sighing deeply. "They come from outer space. Somewhere we dated to go and never returned. Somewhere quiet and dangerous." He said, and then shivered. "I hate it"

"Why? You are an adult. Also, if you hate it so much, you should drop off NASA before they start making expeditions to other planets" Jim said, confused. "Why are you even working for them if you are so afraid?"

"Well kid, I am one of the best in my area and they pay thousands." Leonard said, shrugging. "As long as I stay here on earth, I am fine."

"Well... I am excited. Aliens are awesome" Jim said, his young eyes sparkling. Leonard rolled his eyes and nodded. 

"Yeah kid. Have fun tomorrow. We will see how that's gonna work for you. And then you are out"

Fair enough, Jim concluded. 

 

"Tomorrow. Tomorrow!" Sybok said, smile wide. "Tomorrow is the day we will meet the humans"

"Yes Sybok. Exciting, isn't it?" Amanda said, giggling lightly. Spock was watching them, silently, next to his father, both looking apathetic, even though Spock himself was extremely anxious for the meeting. "I hope my family is still out there somewhere"

"They shall be Amanda. You spent less time than you think in Vulcan" Sarek assured, and Amanda smiled, nodding to him. 

"Indeed. Well, I am hopeful. I am happy. I am relieved" she said, sitting down and looking at the clock she still had. It was all mixed up because of the speed they were travelling, but it was more of a memory than an actual device. 

"You will soon be home, mother" Spock assured, and she nodded, sitting next to him. 

And so would he. 

 

"Alright. Just like I told you. Food is in the fridge, telephone over there, TV remotes here, and nothing of leaving the house at any circumstances." Leonard repeated for the tenth time, and Jim nodded. 

"Okay. I will stay put" he promised, and Leonard sighed, rolling his eyes. 

"Why do I do this to myself?" He asked as he left, wondering since a week ago why he was allowing a fifteen year old to live in his house. 

There was something in those eyes that could easily destroy anyone. 

He left to his work, anxious and nervous and afraid, trembling from head to toe, sighing at every second and gripping on his bag like a school boy in his first day. 

Needless to say he was ridiculously pissing his pants because of this whole deal. 

He arrived at his office three hours before the arrival of the aliens. All of the doctors were located to the meeting room, making that five people in addition to the other thirty that were standing in the hall. Most of them politics and astronauts, people Leonard had no need or want to talk to. 

"Everything will be fine Len" his friend Christine said, holding his hand. "You will see. They will be wonderfully nice."

Oh, and so he hoped. 

 

Thirty minutes and counting. Jim was staring at the TV with a bowl of popcorn in his hand, eyes wide and sparkling as he waited. The channel was black, waiting for the live recording of the meeting. He didn't quite understand why they would put it to public view, but he wasn't complaining. 

Aliens. Aliens! On Earth! That was his lucky day. 

Suddenly, the image appeared, and the current president started to make the initial speech. Soon, the aliens would arrive and he would be able to see everything clearly, with his own eyes. 

Nothing would stop him from seeing them. 

 

"Here we are" Amanda said as the small spaceship finally landed on the blue planet. Both Sybok and Spock were staring through the window at the humans that approached the vessel, each one of them feeling different. "Boys, I want you two close to me at every second"

"Yes mother" Spock answered while Sybok rushed to the door as soon as it was opened, smiling widely and looking at the scared humans in front of them. Amanda shook her head as Sarek walked to his son and reprimanded him harshly with calming words. 

"Come Spock" she said, taking his hand and walking with him. Spock followed her, nodding as she did to the humans around, as they were relocated from their vessel to the meeting room. They walked through a long cement street, but all Spock could pay attention to was the brown of the soil and the blue of the sky. 

The planet was truly beautiful. 

Soon, they entered a building lightened up by artificial lights, and walked through a hallway until they reached a room with fourth people more or less, sitting in a long table. 

His mother and father sat side by side while Sybok and himself were directed to the spots in front of his parents. 

Next to Spock, there was a man that was clearly trying to move as far away as possible without being noticed. Spock looked at him, tilting his head, and the man looked down at the table, his hands trembling. He seemed older than Spock, but not by much, and yet he looked like a child in a stormy night. 

"I am here to announce the arrival of the doctor and mathematic Amanda Greyson, who miraculously survived the last expedition to outer space and was able to bring these incredible people here today" the Earth's governor started saying, standing in front of everyone. "It is a pleasure to introduce the most trusted officers in our space exploring facility. I would like all of us to present ourselves before our guests do. Please, medical team" he said, and the five people next to Spock stood up, including the trembling man next to him. 

The four other Doctors presented themselves, and when the one next to Spock came to be, he froze. 

"I-I... My name is D-Doctor Leonard McCoy, recent graduate and... And I am the best... Of my state... Georgia" he said, his voice breaking in more than a few words. Then he sat down, again, clearly ashamed and frightened. 

Several other people presented themselves, and soon it was their turn. Luckily, they knew basic English from what Amanda had taught them. 

"Greetings. My name is Sarek, and I am the representative of Vulcan here in your planet. We are a peaceful race for more than three thousand years, highly advanced in space travels and agriculture. We have little difference from the humans in the anatomic levels, but this is something we can discuss later. We feel welcomed in your planet." Sarek said, standing up and nodding to all officials. Spock saw the way Leonard, the doctor next to him, flinched. 

Next was Amanda, and then Sybok. Then, Spock stood, and he was almost sure the doctor almost had a heart attack at the movement. 

"My name is Spock" he started, his English rusted, forced and filled with accent. "I am the son of Sarek and Amanda, nineteen years old in your human years, studying to be an officer in the Vulcan's academy. I was longing to meet my mother's home planet and I feel welcomed here. Live long and prosper" he said, separating his fingers before sitting down once more. 

The conversation went on without much questions being asked for him. However, he could see the way a few scientists stared at him as if he was a curious experiment. 

Suddenly he was feeling extremely uncomfortable. 

"Well then. Now that everything is settled, I would like the three of you to visit the planet and get to know a bit more about everything here. Sarek, you will be accompanied by Amanda and a physicist. Sybok, you will be accompanied by sir Calmark, the mathematician. And you, Spock, will be accompanied, as your mother requested, by the youngest male in our team, doctor Leonard McCoy" the president said, and Spock glanced at the man next to him. Leonard stared back, his eyes showing nothing more than fear and suspicion. "Now off you go"

Spock waited for his mother and father to leave before he walked to Leonard, who was talking to a woman called Christine. 

"I mean why me? Am I the unluckiest person in the planet?" He asked her, while she giggled and nodded. 

"Your guest is here" she said, and Leonard turned around to see the vulcan just behind him. He gasped and moved away, before slowly regaining his breath. 

"Well... I guess I have to take you home now. Follow me" he muttered, his body rigid. Spock nodded, following the man quietly out of the meeting room. 

He had to say that he was curious to know a little more about Earth, and that man as well. 

Well, at least he did not stare at him like a lab experiment. 

He just wanted to be closer to his mother's world. And Leonard seemed the perfect man to show him around.

He couldn't wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I ended up continuing this and it is becoming a fanfic holy shit. 
> 
> I'm writing all of it in my cellphone so sorry if it takes longer to update than the rest. 
> 
> Anyway, leave KUDOS and comments if you enjoyed and see you soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Leave KUDOS and comments if you enjoyed!
> 
> If you guys want I can make a continuation about their adults selves finally finding each other and being happy in the twenty first century.


End file.
